Bathtub support



April 17, 1934. J CAPRA 1,955,485

BATHTUB SUPPORT Filed Oct. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l ilya'zwe April 17, 1934. j CAPRA 1,955,485

BATHTUB SUPPORT Filed 001:. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 8, 1932, Serial No. 636,859 In Canada October 9, 1931 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in a bathtub support, and its main feature is to provide a rigid supporting bracket, secured to the frame work of a building, upon which the inner edge and end edges of a bathtub are firmly supported, said rigid supporting bracket being readily adjustable to various sizes of bathtubs. The said supporting bracket, as above mentioned, preferably consists of a channel or U-shaped frame composed of three rigid and integral members, two of which are disposed at right angle to the third member and so arranged as to support the rear edge and two end edges of a bathtub of the type known as inset, which fits snugly in an alcove or recess provided therefor in one of the walls of the bath room. The said channel frame is provided with a plurality of vertical projecting lugs, which are adapted to be suitably secured, directly, upon the scantlings or frame-work, and at each corner of said channel frame is provided an angular upright lug adapted to be secured to each of the corner scantlings. The purpose of these corner angular lugs is to firmly secure the said channel frame to the structure of the building, in order that when the building settles, the channel frame will move with same carrying the bathtub with it, and thus preventing cracks from forming at the joint. In order to insure a staunch joint and prevent water, from the shower or bathtub, from leaking through the joint and causing damages to the ceiling below, a suitable plastic cement or any other suitable matter is located within said channel frame, upon which rests the edges of the bathtub.

As bathtubs usually vary in size, the channel frame has been devised to be readily adjustable, although a rigid frame could be made for each of the various sizes of tubs. But it has been found that tubs of the same size often vary from one quarter of an inch to sometimes one inch, and in view of this, it is preferable that all channel frames should be made adjustable. It is, however, ultra-important that the adjustable joint should not weaken the frame which must be absolutely rigid. For this purpose, an interlocking joint, as will be hereinafter fully described, is necessary.

The existence of miscellaneous means of providing staunch bathtub joints, is well known, but none of the devices employed for this purpose are rigid or strong enough to support a bathtub and thereby follow the movements of the frame-work of a building, when it settles.

In the accompanying drawings;-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bathtub supported upon a rigid bracket according to the invention, which is directly mounted upon the framestructure of building which is shown in crosssection;

Figure 2 is a cross-section through the bathtub illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the adjustable rigid frame, mounted upon the scantlings or frame-work of the room which is partially shown;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-section through a portion of the bathtub and one of the scantlings, disclosing how the edge of the bathtub is supported upon the rigid channel frame; and

Figure 5 is a segmentary plan-view of the adjustable means of the channel-supportingframe.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a bathtub of the inset-type, usually provided with an apron 1 upon the front and the lateral extending edges 2 around the rear and ends. The said tub usually fits into an alcove or recess 2 and 3 are scantlings forming the frame around said alcove.

Upon said scantlings 3, is suitably mounted the channel or U-shape supporting bracket 4 which consists of the rear upright member 4 the horizontal member 5 and upright front member 6, preferably of cast or malleable iron, forming a horizontal longitudinal recess adapted to receive a suitable plastic substance. The said channel supporting bracket is adapted to directly rest against the frame-structure or scantlings 3 and is secured thereto by means of a plurality of upright-lugs 7, which preferably form an integral part of the rear upright-member 4 The said lugs '7 are each provided with one or more holes therethrough and are secured to said scantlings 3 by means of screws or nails. In each corner of the channel member is provided an angular lug 8, which is adapted to be secured to the scantlings 3 and 3 thus firmly securing said member at the corners where, particularly, the stress is greater.

The channel or recess of the channel member 4 is filled with any suitable plastic material 14 and then the edges 2 of the bathtub are made to rest upon the edge of the upright-member 6 of the channel member 4, the said edges 2 being generally of slightly bevelled shape 9, (see Figure 4 of the drawings) which engages into said plastic material and provides for a staunch joint.

Once the bathtub is in position and is adequately supported upon the bracket or member 4, the metallic lath is secured upon the scantlings in the usual way and the plaster wall is made, thus covering the lugs '7.

To provide for an adjustable channel-frame, the member 4 is out into two sections, one of which has a reduced inner portion 10, while the other section is reduced upon the outer-side as at 11, so that one of said sections will overlap the other, and 12 are longitudinal registering slots provided in each of the overlapping walls 4 through which is inserted a bolt 13 by means of which the two sections are fixedly secured together. It will readily be seen that upon slacking the bolt 13, the channel-member 4 will easily be adjusted to the various sizes of bathtubs, and that when said bolt is tightened, the said member 4 will be rigid.

It will readily be understood that the foregoing describes and the accompanying drawings illustrate only a preferred form of the invention, and that modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims of novelty.

What I claim as my invention is:--

l. A bathtub support, comprising a rigid channel member upon which the edges of said bathtub are supported, said channel member having a plurality of attaching up-right lugs extending therefrom.

2. A bathtub support, comprising a rigid channel member composed of a rear member and two rightangular arms at each end of said rear member adapted to support the rear and end edges of said bathtub, and a plurality of attaching upright lugs extending from said channel member.

3. A bathtub support, comprising a channel member upon which the edges of said bathtub are supported, said channel member being divided into two inter-connecting sections, whereby said channel member may be adjusted to various sizes of bathtubs, said channel member having a plurality of attaching upright lugs extending therefrom.

4. A bathtub support, comprising a rigid channel member composed of a rear member and two right angular arms at each end of said rear member adapted to support the rear and end edges of said bathtub, said channel member having a plurality of attaching upright lugs and angular integral attaching lugs located in each corner of said channel member extending therefrom.

JOHN CAPRA. 

